Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) has selected Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to build a modern, secure, web-based system for the state’s unemployment insurance programme, as it embarks on transforming its legacy mainframe platform from the 1970s into a cloud-based system.
The TCS system will offer online self-service functions, including filing new claims, certifying weekly claims, checking the status of benefit payments, and filing appeals. Employers can register their business online, make payments and appeals online, and file real-time wage reports, among other uses.
Once launched, KDOL can enable electronic correspondence on a single digital platform to reduce costs.
Amber Shultz, Secretary, KDOL, said, “We have made a significant amount of progress in a short amount of time and today’s announcement is just the latest example of this work. We are committed to partnering with the right people to reflect the agency’s commitment to customer service and collaborative innovation.”
“KDOL is taking a major step forward to modernise the unemployment insurance system. Our efforts for the past year have been focused on selecting a technology partner to move the agency into the 21 st century. With this upgrade, KDOL will be able to get back into alignment with its mission of serving unemployed Kansans,” Kansas Governor Laura Kelly added.
For more than two decades, TCS has partnered with states across the US — including Connecticut, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wyoming, as well as several cities — to transform unemployment insurance systems.
Robert Kane, Chief Commercial Officer, US Public Services, TCS North America said, “Unemployment Insurance is a critical safety net for thousands of Kansas residents every year. They deserve a secure, world-class system that enables them to file claims and receive payments seamlessly. We look forward to working alongside the dedicated Kansas Department of Labor modernisation team to transform the way they serve Kansas citizens and employers.”
Due to job losses during the Covid-19 pandemic, government agencies handled unprecedented numbers of unemployment insurance claims. TCS has said it processed exponential increases in unemployment claims at the onset of the pandemic, including the integration of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance — a lifeline for self-employed individuals, independent contractors, and other gig workers. Volunteers from TCS reportedly partnered with the New York State Department of Labor to process thousands of unemployment insurance applications within days.
Published on
April 06, 2022
